Leah is growing up and now she has her own believes. She does not need to follow Nathan's believes. I like it that she is strong enough to stick up for herself, but I dislike it when she is so disrespectful to her elder and father. This could connect to the world I live in by looking at why teenagers and parents fight a lot. When you are a teenager you learn you do have choices and do not necessarily need to listen to what you are told to do.
- Kai
I thought that it was interesting how Orleana reacted when she found out that Ruth May had been killed. She acted as if she already knew. She didn't cry, or rant, or tear her hair out, she just got ready for some chores. This caught me off guard because I would expect all loving mothers to cry and express emotion after they found out that one of their children had just died. The way Orleana reacted is how I would expect a bad mother that doesn't love, or even like, her children to react. I wonder why she acted the way she did when she found out that Ruth May had been killed.
The way Nathan reacted didn't really surprise me that much. It seems like all he cared about before Ruth May died was pleasing God. It didn't seem like he cared about his family at all. Ruth May's death didn't change his feelings about wanting to please God. The only thing he said was that she wasn't baptized which meant that she couldn't go to heaven. Leah said that his eyes had a vacant look, as if he didn't care.
- Nainoa
On page 348-349, Leah talks about how she kills her "first game" and how she kills it, etc. When I read this passage, I think about how she feels. Is she proud? Does she want to kill another impala? She ends on "Nelson had ridiculed Gbenye's aim by calling him nkento. A woman." Why doesn't she talk about her killing more? Or why does she have to end with those sentences? Does she feel guilty?! I guess I have those feelings too, especially when I win something or when my gain is someone's loss... I feel guilty for winning something when the next person is being offended or questioned. It is hard to fully accept your reward when a person that couldn't be in your position, is crying or is arguing about something you did wrong. It's funny how Leah opens this chapter by (perhaps not enthusiastically) announcing her killings, then at the closing, she leaves us thinking about how Gbenye may feel after being called a woman. Poor Leah, I don't blame her for reflecting about Nelson's remarks. She didn't even fight for herself when Gbenye shouted at her. She is quite a strong girl, with people in her village looking down at her, her what used-to-be-inspiring-father floating in his own world, and having to skin the animal or just witness her village in such a tyrant rage for food is flat-out traumatizing. Even worse, it is ultamately her fault that Ruth May died. I really do enjoy reading about her. I like to connect it with my own life. I like how she is humble. She is quite an independant woman.
- Kai
I thought that it was interesting how Orleana reacted when she found out that Ruth May had been killed. She acted as if she already knew. She didn't cry, or rant, or tear her hair out, she just got ready for some chores. This caught me off guard because I would expect all loving mothers to cry and express emotion after they found out that one of their children had just died. The way Orleana reacted is how I would expect a bad mother that doesn't love, or even like, her children to react. I wonder why she acted the way she did when she found out that Ruth May had been killed.
The way Nathan reacted didn't really surprise me that much. It seems like all he cared about before Ruth May died was pleasing God. It didn't seem like he cared about his family at all. Ruth May's death didn't change his feelings about wanting to please God. The only thing he said was that she wasn't baptized which meant that she couldn't go to heaven. Leah said that his eyes had a vacant look, as if he didn't care.
- Nainoa
On page 348-349, Leah talks about how she kills her "first game" and how she kills it, etc. When I read this passage, I think about how she feels. Is she proud? Does she want to kill another impala? She ends on "Nelson had ridiculed Gbenye's aim by calling him nkento. A woman." Why doesn't she talk about her killing more? Or why does she have to end with those sentences? Does she feel guilty?! I guess I have those feelings too, especially when I win something or when my gain is someone's loss... I feel guilty for winning something when the next person is being offended or questioned. It is hard to fully accept your reward when a person that couldn't be in your position, is crying or is arguing about something you did wrong. It's funny how Leah opens this chapter by (perhaps not enthusiastically) announcing her killings, then at the closing, she leaves us thinking about how Gbenye may feel after being called a woman. Poor Leah, I don't blame her for reflecting about Nelson's remarks. She didn't even fight for herself when Gbenye shouted at her. She is quite a strong girl, with people in her village looking down at her, her what used-to-be-inspiring-father floating in his own world, and having to skin the animal or just witness her village in such a tyrant rage for food is flat-out traumatizing. Even worse, it is ultamately her fault that Ruth May died. I really do enjoy reading about her. I like to connect it with my own life. I like how she is humble. She is quite an independant woman.
- Tiana